How do I align the final drive shaft? Cannot get it to go into place

[onedayright]

Hi everyone,
Spent well over an hour on my 1997 GL1500, trying to get the final drive shaft into place. Doesn't matter what I tried, it just won't go in..
There must be a trick....I've looked through the forum but couldn't seem to find.it.

Thank you in advance!

[Quick Cal]

It's most likely the front u-joint is not on. You have to use a long metal yardstick (walmart) and coax the front u-joint into place. Use a flashlight and look up in there.

That's what I did and then everything went together. Hope this helps.

[offcenter]

Sometimes it goes back in easily, other times it takes forever and many four letter words.
Slide a thin metal yard stick in under the U joint. then slide the drive shaft in without the rear end attached.
Should go in a bit easier. After the drive shaft is in place, then put the final drive on.

[Andy Cote]

Here's my trick. Get everything looking perfect. Lie on your back. Push up and in. Try again. Try again. Cuss, swear, sacrifice some blood. Try again. Roll on stomach. Repeat as many times as possible over 60 minutes. Throw something. Go in the house. Get a glass or two of water (no substitutions). Sit back in recliner for at least 45 minutes - nap acceptable. Go back in garage and it will slide in place on first try.

Seriously, you can push, change the angle of the swingarm, wiggle the U-Joint, stick your fingers in the U-Joint boot, use sticks or even turn the bike upside down (ok, while tempted, I haven't actually tried that myself), at the end of the day, I never found the true secret. Some things work on some bikes, sometimes. Otherwise, it's just a matter of waiting for the magnetic field to be just right. The only real tool for this is patience. Sorry.

[onedayright]

Will try the yard stick trick, thanks

[onedayright]

yep yelled, drank wine and walked away! cannot believe Honda design this, this way.

[blupupher]

The trick is reverse.

Get everything in place, start the bike, put it in reverse, then while pushing gently on the rear drive assembly, bump the reverse button. It will let the splines on the engine side turn and line up.
I fought it for 20 minutes or so till I read it here, and it went in in like 2 seconds.

[onedayright]

Wow, ok will try.... that seem faster for sure

[onedayright]

Thanks to all that replied, I finally got it in. I tried the reversel trick but it didn't work for me, I tried several times. Didn't have a ruler but I found this! ( see pictures below) and it worked perfectly within 10--15 seconds it was in place. Thanks to everyone once again, please look at the photos below don't laugh

[Solo So Long]

This trick has worked for me in other places, so might do the job here, assuming that you have the drive shaft free from the final drive.

Lay the drive shaft on flat surface, with the U-joint straight.

Lay a piece of stainless steel welding rod, 36" long, along the drive shaft, with one end even with the end of the U-joint. Bend it slightly, so that a "tab" about 1/2 inch long is against the U-joint to support it.

Wrap two or three turns of Scotch tape around the end of the U-joint and the wire support -- make them complete and even turns, so that the final end is even with the original end. This isn't critical, but the closer the better.

Run the drive shaft into position (don't forget the moly paste!), and once engaged, force it completely onto the output shaft of the trans and HOLD IT while you draw out the wire.

Now put on the final drive, engaging the drive shaft.